Total firearm accidents during the gun-deer season number eight, one more than last year.
Six happened during opening weekend, and two more were reported last week. None of those were fatal, but a hunter shot Thanksgiving Day was seriously injured.
DNR hunter education specialist Jon King says it happened in Dunn County.
“The victim in this point was shot by a member in his deer drive, and he was shot in the stomach. So he was airlifted from the scene.”
Two other accidents also happened during a deer drive, and four were self inflicted. One nonhunter was injured by a bullet while in his home opening weekend.
King says officials keep a close eye on the number of accidents compared to the number of people out hunting. He says that figure is gradually going down thanks to a growing commitment to safety.
“Hunters, you know they’re thinking more and more of safety. Over 1.1 million hunters have completed hunter education. And we also had the blaze orange requirement come about, that has slowly helped out.”
Over 615,000 people registered for deer tags in the gun season this year.
King says a greater number of accidents typically happen during small game seasons.
